Horse racing: Gold Ship sails to Kikka-sho title for double crown
News On Japan via Japan Times -- Oct 22

Outstanding favorite Gold Ship sailed to the last jewel in the Japanese triple crown by winning the Kikka-sho in near record fashion on Sunday.

After Japanese Derby winner Deep Brillante was scratched earlier in the week, Gold Ship was widely tipped to add the Kikka-sho title to the Satsuki-sho - the first leg in the triple crown - he won back in the spring, and the Naosuke Sugai-colt did not disappoint.

Gold Ship went under the wire almost two lengths in front of fifth-choice Sky Dignity ridden by Ioritz Mendizabal, cutting a time of 3 minutes, 2.9 seconds over the 3,000 meters - just 0.2 off the race record and 0.1 off the mark of last year's champion Orfevre, who completed the triple crown.

Source: Japan Times



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